Jobs for the Future (JFF) invites you to join us at the CREST Regional Partner Convening on Wednesday, September 9 - Thursday, September 10, 2026 to connect with a national community of peers and swap strategies, spark new ideas, and dig into research and real-world practices that prepare people for meaningful careers. 

The purpose of the gathering is to:

  • Deepen connections with peer regions, SMEs, and JFF staff
  • Share progress and challenges related to CREST regional work
  • Encourage knowledge-sharing through open dialogue and collective problem-solving
  • Explore specific strategies and mechanisms for deepening CREST regional work
  • Witness Buffalo's work through group site visits and presentations

Registration closes on Friday, August 21, 2026, and is by invitation only.

Registration Details

  • Registration deadline: Friday, August 21, 2026
  • What registration includes: JFF will cover flights, hotel, ground transportation, and meals
  • What is not covered: Optional activities (e.g., trip to visit Niagara Falls)
  • Please note: We kindly ask that guests join events where meals have been coordinated for attendees. To the extent possible, we wish to avoid reimbursements for meals that JFF will provide.

Who Should Attend

This event is intended for:

  • 1–2 Regional Challenge leads from each region
  • Optional: 1 Regional Challenge lead and 1 project partner who can contribute to discussion that advances CREST goals

JFF can fund up to two participants from each region.

Schedule Overview

Dates:

  • Wednesday, September 9, 2026, 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. (meeting) and 6 p.m. - 8 p.m. (dinner)
  • Thursday, September 10, 2026, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. (includes lunch)

We anticipate that participants will:

  • Arrive in Buffalo on September 8, 2026
  • Participate fully in convening sessions on September 9 and 10
  • Depart Buffalo on September 10 after 3 p.m. (attendees will arrive back at the hotel by 1 p.m.) or anytime on September 11. It is advised to arrive at the airport 1 hour prior to departure.

We ask that you plan to stay for the duration of the event.

Location, Travel, and Meals

Airfare

Airfare will be paid for by JFF for main cabin economy seats. Reservations will be made through JFF’s preferred travel agency. We will provide you with instructions for booking your ticket after this registration form has been submitted. 

  • Note: Participants will not be able to pay to upgrade or upgrade through the airline for JFF funded tickets. 

 

Ground Transportation

  • Costs associated with ground transportation to and from home are reimbursable.
  • We encourage the use of ride sharing services and taxis to and from home since they are significantly less expensive than private car services.
  • Ride sharing services and taxis should be the default choice for partners not using their personal vehicle for transportation needs.
  • The basic service should be chosen as the default.

Meals:

  • JFF will reimburse meals for travel dates beginning the date of departure and concluding the date of return.
  • We kindly ask guests to join events where meals have been coordinated for attendees. To the extent possible, we wish to avoid reimbursements for meals that JFF will provide.
  • The reimbursable gratuity for meals is 20%.
  • Alcohol expenses are not reimbursable.

Hotel Information

Center for Innovation—University of Buffalo Campus

640 Ellicott Street, Buffalo, New York, 14203, USA

JFF has reserved a block of rooms and will cover hotel costs for the nights of September 8, 9, and 10. JFF will arrange your hotel reservations based on your lodging selections during the registration process and will send your hotel confirmation number closer to the event date. The hotel will require a credit card at check-in for incidental charges only, which are not covered by JFF. 

Hotel cancellation note:
If you need to cancel your participation after registering, please notify Jennifer Tee at jtee@jff.org by Friday, August 21, 2026. You may be billed for failing to cancel your hotel reservation in accordance with the hotel’s cancellation policy.

Reimbursements

JFF will provide a form for you to use to reimburse ground transportation and meals. Reimbursement requests will be due on September 21.

  • Receipts that are not itemized will not be eligible for reimbursement. We suggest asking each establishment if they can provide itemized receipts before making a purchase.
  • If you are driving to and from the airport, we will request information from a mapping application (e.g., google maps) to determine mileage reimbursement.
  • We will not reimburse personal expenses such as laundry/dry cleaning and roaming cellular charges.
  • We expect expenses for ridesharing services will be in keeping with standard rather than deluxe services, e.g., we do not expect attendees to request reimbursement for Uber Black service (which we are advised not to use for cost-saving purposes).
  • The reimbursable gratuity for hotels is $5.00 per night.
  • Closer to the event, we will request payment information so we can issue the reimbursement electronically.

Questions?

For questions about registration, logistics and/or accommodations, please contact:

Jennifer Tee, Director, Jobs for the Future

jtee@jff.org

 206-849-7086